Chakto Program
The "Chakto" program aims to strengthen the skills of young Cambodian talents in four key areas: graphic novels, cinema, music and dance.
This program places particular emphasis on the importance of writing in the creative process, a fundamental element for the development of the Cultural and Creative Industries in Cambodia. The program aims to train a pool of professionals through targeted training adapted to local needs and sustainable development goals in the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Funded by the Fonds Équipe France Création of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, it is supported by the French Embassy in Cambodia and the French Institute in Cambodia, in partnership with major players in the Cambodian cultural sector: Sipar and Avatar Publishing, the film production company Anti-Archive, Kongchak Studio and the Cambodian Living Arts NGO.
"Chakto" is divided into three main areas: strengthening local artistic skills, developing entrepreneurial skills in the cultural sector, and organizing a regional seminar dedicated to cultural and creative industries.
This program aims to support the Cambodian cultural scene by providing young talents with the tools they need to develop their creative
projects. The final beneficiaries will be the general Cambodian public, who will be able to discover the works created during the training
courses and participate in the promotion of Cambodia's cultural industries. "Chakto" is part of a long-term approach to
strengthen cultural and creative ties between Cambodia and France, while highlighting the wealth and diversity of Cambodian talents.
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Why the name "Chakto" ?
"Chakto", or "four" in Khmer, is a word that has great significance in Cambodian culture. It evokes
the four cardinal points, the Chaktomuk theater located at the junction of four waterways, as well as the historic name of the city of
Phnom Penh. Like its name, the Chakto program is positioned at the crossroads of four disciplines, making them interact and enrich each
other. It reflects both the creativity of the project and highlights the Khmer language and culture.
Training was the starting point of the program. Participants, from various creative backgrounds, benefited from intensive professional
workshops led by French mentors, experts in their respective fields. These sessions were designed to provide young artists with the
tools they need to refine their technical skills and broaden their creative horizons. The artistic projects will be presented to the
general Cambodian public through a dedicated event (Celebrating Chakto!)
to allow these young creators to make their works known. This dissemination process aims to strengthen their visibility while actively
participating in Cambodia’s growing cultural dynamic.
The partners
This program offered training in adapting stories into comics, in partnership with the Sipar and Avatar publishing houses, training in script writing, in collaboration with Anti-Archive, as well as a specialization in sound creation, in partnership with Kongchak studios. Finally, support for choreographic writing was also offered, in partnership with the NGO Cambodian Living Arts.
The training courses, lasting an average of 8 days, were supervised by French mentors, experts in their respective fields, who guided the participants in their learning and supported them in the creation of their artistic projects.
Selecting the participants
Young Cambodian creators were selected via calls for applications published online on the website and social networks of the French Institute and partners. Beneficiaries had to be of Cambodian nationality and able to demonstrate experience and an artistic project to defend in their field. The 60 selected candidates (15 participants per course) had the opportunity to participate in intensive workshops led by French mentors, who brought an international perspective and advanced skills in each course.
The French mentors
Graphic novel: Simon Hureau & Jean Louis Tripp
Cinema : Anna Ciennik, Geoffroy Grison & Wim Vanacker
Sound & Music: Jean-Charles Bastion & Pierre6Edouard Dumora for "Film Composer"; Amaury Crétois for "Audio
Storytelling"; Anne Paceo for "Song Creation".
Dance: Fouad Boussouf & Emmanuèle Phuon
